Introduction
This guide will help you replace the magnet at the bottom of your IFixit 4mm aluminium precision driver.
This may be helpful:
- if you need to remove something stuck to the magnet inside the shaft (bearing, small screw...)
- if your magnet has become broken or lost strength
- if you're curious and addicted to taking things appart
A year ago, I caught a steel ball bearing inside my screwdriver. With the bearing inside, bits wouldn't stay in because of the lower magnetic strength and insertion depth. I tried a few things, but eventually removed the bearing by heating up my screwdriver with a blowtorch, which demagnetised the magnet, and allowed me to retrieve the bearing.
With the magnet no longer magnetic, I inserted 2 4mmx2mm disc magnets at the bottom of my driver to hold the bits in place. They stuck out a little, but at least my driver held bits in place again, and I have been using it for the past year.
I stumbled upon this guide : Reattach the cap on an IFixit Precision Bit Driver and did it in reverse to see what was inside. Turns out, the screwdriver is hollow, and I could see the old magnet through the hole.
I took advantage of this to remove the old magnet, and restore my original insertion depth
What you need
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Follow the Cap Replacement guide in reverse.
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I found doing a few loops around the handle first helped tighten the floss around the cap
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Place the screwdriver vertically, bit shaft down on a hard surface.
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You will be hammering against that surface. Make sure it's either resistant, or that damage to it doesn't matter
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Insert a 3mm allen key all the way down.
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The allen key's 90° should not touch the end of the driver. It needs to be able to be pushed further.
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Use a hammer to dislodge the old magnet. You may need to hit hard and a few times
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Once the magnet is dislodged, you can blow through the driver or use a long pokey thing to remove it completely
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Attach the new magnet (in this case 2x 2mm*4mm disc magnets, original was a 4*4mm) to one of your useless bits. I used the triangle one
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You may want to add a dab of glue to the back of your magnets. I didn't feel the need, a press fit was all that was needed
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Insert the bit. It may not go all the way to the required depth
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Place the screwdriver, cap side down, on your makeshift anvil/surface
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Give it a good few hits with the hammer, to push it back in.
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Hits sound different when you're all the way in. When that's the case, you can't go further
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Follow the Cap Replacement guide to re attaching the cap to put it back on
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I couldn't tighten mine back all the way, I may have damaged some threads whilst hammering the allen key.
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You've done it. You've fixed your IFixit driver that you bought to fix things. The fixer is fixed.
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Maybe this wasn't worth it, and a replacement screwdriver was just an email to support away, but why do that, when you can fix it
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Congratulaitons. Your screwdriver is fixed.
Now you that you have 4mm disc magnets, why not stick one to the bottom of your 4mm hex driver bit, and give you a magnetic bit extension for hard to reach screws.
Congratulaitons. Your screwdriver is fixed.
Now you that you have 4mm disc magnets, why not stick one to the bottom of your 4mm hex driver bit, and give you a magnetic bit extension for hard to reach screws.
